Malta has submitted its bid to be the host country for the headquarters of the European Medicines Agency, the EMA, following an agreement held on 22 June.

An agreement has been reached among the 27 EU leaders on the procedure leading up to a decision on the relocation of the EMA and the European Banking Authority in the context of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the bloc.

Presently, the EMA has its headquarters in Canary Wharf, London, and employs 900 people from all over Europe. It is first to monitor, evaluate, and determine the safety of medical and veterinary products before they are sold in the European Single Market.

A total of 20 EU Member States have also launched their bids to be host country of the EMA post-Brexit.

Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection Deo Debattista, who is also responsible for the Malta Medicines Authority, said that Malta has proven an ideal host for such an Agency due to a number of different factors, primarily because of its current positive economic climate.

“Malta has all the necessary resources to host such a competent and crucial Agency, from transport, to human resources, and above all, accessibility,” Debattista said.

European Affairs Minister Helena Dalli said that, following the success of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU, Malta is more than capable of hosting the EMA.

“Apart from resources being made available by the government, our country promises exceptional living situations, complemented with useful facilities such as free child care and a top notch educational system for the families of the current EMA employees.”

The final vote determining the relocation of the EMA is expected to take place on November 20, at the EU’s General Affairs Council.